The present invention relates generally to a motor vehicle door hinge assembly having multiple hinge axes about which the door pivots.
A vehicle door that opens along two separate swing paths opens outward along a substantially vertical axis and then upward along an axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. When the door is fully open, however, the door can fall back into the A-pillar, to which the hinges are secured, and the door may swing upward before there is sufficient clearance with respect to the front fender.
A need exists in the industry for a door hinge assembly that provides multiple axes about which the door pivots as it opens and closes. Movement of the door as it opens and closes should be guided on a continuous guide path, whose contour can be varied readily to produce angular configurations that avoid interference with road curbing and other obstacles. The hinge assembly preferably would locate the door cutline such that it is visually imperceptible due to its location below the vehicle.